Panama Papers probe: Pak PM Nawaz Sharif rejects demands for resignation

Pakistan's beleaguered Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today refused to step down even as the clamour for his resignation got louder after the Panama case probe panel recommended filing of a graft case against him and his family.

Addressing an emergency Cabinet meeting here, 67-year-old Sharif termed the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report a pack of "allegations and speculation", Dawn reported.

The six-member JIT, probing Sharif family's offshore assets and alleged corruption, in a 10-volume damning report submitted to the Supreme Court on July 10 recommended that a corruption case should be filed against Sharif and his sons — Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz — as well as daughter Maryam.

At the first Cabinet meeting after the submission of the JIT report to the apex court, Sharif said that he will not resign as the prime minister on anyone's call.

"The people of Pakistan have elected me and only they can remove me from this post," Prime Minister Sharif said, responding to the opposition parties who have been demanding his resignation following the release of the report.

Sharif claimed that his family "earned nothing after entering politics, but lost a lot".

The language used in the JIT report displays malafide intentions, he said.

"The Prime Minister said that he will not resign on the demand of a group of conspirators," Radio Pakistan reported.
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